Over the past 20 years, Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) has undergone a remarkable transformation, experiencing significant improvements to its economy, education system and the livelihood of its residents. Why has Macao been able to develop so successfully? How has it been able to follow a very different path to that of its neighbor – Hong Kong SAR? And what lessons has China learned, overall, from its unique "One Country, Two Systems" policy?

Professor Hu Weixing, dean of the faculty of social sciences at the University of Macao, believes that the Macao SAR government's policies have resulted in the city's success story. For instance, the region has "passed national security legislation that prevents any subversion actions in Macao" against the mainland. Also, Macao has paid a lot of attention to the education of its youth. From the very beginning, "young people, students, should be educated in the right way to love their country," Hu said.

Dr. Jonathan Choi Koonshum, founding chairman of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area Entrepreneurs Union, said that Macao's economy is thriving and impressive even by global standards.

In the past 20 years, Macao's GDP growth has been "booming", he said, and has increased by almost seven times in the last two decades. Its GDP per capita ranks second in the world, one of Macao's biggest achievements to date. "The most successful industry here is gaming", which "attracts a lot of tourists." It's now one of the world's hottest destinations for tourism, he detailed.

Qu Qiang, assistant director of the International Monetary Institute of Renmin University of China, thinks that Macao is doing well at diversifying its economy. While gaming is still the cornerstone of the city's economy, other industries are thriving as well. For instance, the technology and finance sectors are to become very important growth areas for Macao.

Macao enjoys a "similar situation like Hong Kong". It is a "free capital land, so it also has the great potential to develop as one of the other important financial centers of China," he said. It also has "sound and complete legal systems", close to traditional European rule of law system. "This will give Macao a lot of great potential in developing the financial industry."

Under China's Greater Bay Area blueprint, Macao is poised to become a core engine driving the mega-city cluster around the Pearl Delta into an economic powerhouse. Hu agrees that Macao's future development will largely depend on its integration with the Greater Bay Area. Young people can find opportunities in multiple sectors in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as the area's potential will continue to grow stronger.

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